Separator.



A. BIGHETTI.

SEPARATOR.

APPLICATION FILED AUG. '1, 1911.

1,085,528. Patented Jan. 27, 1914.

8 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

BIGHETTI. SEPARATOR.

APPLICATION FILEDAUG. 7, 1911.

Patented Jan. 27,1914

8 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

0 0 0 (10 000 0 0 00- D MQMQM COLUMBIA PLANOGRAPH co, WASHINGTON, u. c.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ADELINO IBIGHETTI, OF SAN PAULO, BRAZIL, ASSIGNOR TO JOSE P. TEBYRIGA,OF SAN PAULO, BRAZIL.

SEPARATOR.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, ADELINO BIGHETTI, acitizen of Brazil, residing in San Paulo, Brazil, have invented acertain new and useful Improvement in Separators, of which the followingis a specification.

This invention relates to apparatus intended primarily for size gradingof materials, such for instance as coffee, rice, etc.

It comprises in general arrangement a series of overlapping spirallyarranged separating screens of varying mesh, appropriate means fordischarging the separated grains, means for preventing the clogging ofthe openings in the screens and means for imparting vibration to thelatter: and also certain details of construction or arrangementhereinafter set forth.

In the accompanying drawing: Figure 1 is a side elevation: Fig. 2, asectional plan on the line A, B of Fig. 1. Fig. 3, a view showingdiagrammatically the arrangement of the screens. This view shows butthree screens whereas in the machine as illustrated in other figures ofthe drawing there are six. Fig. 4: is a section'on line E, F, of Fig. 2:and Fig. 5, a partsectional plan view on line C, D, of Fig. 1.

The machine, as illustrated, is constructed as follows: A rectangularframe is composed of four vertical posts 2 connected and tied togetherby cross beams 4 and resting on basebeams 3. Centrally within this mainframe is disposed the separator apparatus which comprises two rings 5,6, in the open ings in which the upper and lower ends respectively of acentral cylinder 7 are secured. The peripheries of the rings areconnected at equidistant points by four angle iron braces 8. Coiledwithin these angle iron braces and secured thereto; concentric to theaxis of the cylinder, is a spiral plate 9 of suitable pitch, the wallsof which are vertically disposed. This frame, so constructed, issuspended from the top of the main frame by four flexible supports 10,preferably narrow flat spring plates. The lower ends of these platesprings are connected by Z plates 10 with the angle iron braces S. Thescreens 11, 11, 11 etc., are disposed at proper inclination or pitchbetween the band 9 and the outer face of cylinder 7, being appropriatelyconnected to these parts by small angle irons 12.

The arrangement of screens will perhaps be best understood from Fig. 3.They may Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed August 7, 1911.

Patented Jan. 27, 1914. Serial No. 642,605.

be made of any appropriate material but preferably each is composed of asheet or sheets of metal having equally spaced, uniform openings, thoseof the upper or first screen 11 being larger than those of the next orsucceeding screen 11 and so on. The upper screen 11 receives material tobe separated from a hopper 13. All the grains or berries that do notpass through this screen to the next succeeding one are discharged intoa trough 14, the rear wall 15 of which is carried upwardly to preventmaterial from overrunning the trough. The trough is disposed radiallyand has a downward inclination and connects, at its outer ends, with anopening in the band 9 to which is applied a discharge spout 16.Projecting backwardly from the trough 14 is a downwardly inclined plate17 that serves to throw back grains or berries that have passed throughthe lower part of the first screen, so that all of the berries passingthrough the first screen are deposited upon an imperforate plate 18 thatreceives all the berries to be passed down along the second screen 11.These throw "back plates 17 permit the use of shorter screens than wouldotherwise be required. The receiving plate 18 and the second screen 11are of the same pitch and therefore have a continuous surface of uniformpitch. The succeeding screens 11 etc.,'are provided with like receivingplates 18; and, in other respects, the construction is the same as thatdescribed in connection with the first screen, each having a similardischarge trough and associated parts. The apertures in the screens maybe of any desired contour,that is to say, they may be circular, oval orof any conformation best adapted for the purpose of use. Separate meansare provided for the reception of the graded material from each of thevarious spouts 16. That means may be a light flexible tube discharginginto a suitable receptacle.

To prevent choking of the openings in the screens by lodging ofthegrains or berries therein, a means is provided by which the bottomsurface of the screen may be swept by a wiper to throw upwardly anygrains or berries that may be held in the openings. Such a device isprovided for each screen. It may :be in the form of a roller pressedupwardly against the bottom of the screen,

or it may be a brush, or a flexible edge, such as leather or rubber. Ihave shown, however, a roller, the surface of which may be, if desired,of elastlc or fiexlble material such as rubber, leather or cloth. Rubberor like material is preferred and the degree of hard-' ness thereof mayvary. It should not be too soft and preferably not very hard. A surfacelayer on the roller of rubber of about the hardness of that of anordinary rubber hose is eflicient.

Loosely located within the upper end of the cylinder 7 is a spider 20carrying downwardly extending rods 19, of which there is one for eachscreen, connected at their lower ends to a circular plate 21 arrangedimmediately beneath the lower end of the cylin der. .The spider, plateand rods constitute a rigid skeleton frame. On each rod 19 is fixed asleeve 22 on the side of which is pivoted intermediate its ends ahorizontally disposed lever 23, the inner arm of which carries a movableweight 2st and the outer arm passes through a slot 27 in the side of thecylinder of the same pitch as the screen. In the outer end of the leveris pivoted a yoke 25 in the ends of which is mounted a roller 26arranged radially,that is, crosswise of the screen.

There is to be imparted to the skeleton frame, a reciprocating rotarymotion and a reciprocating vertical motion. In order that berries orgrains traveling down the screen shall not escape through the slots 27into the interior of the cylinder, there is disposed around the interiorof the cylinder a loose spiral fiat strip 28 coiled within the cylinderand turning in contact with its inner face. The levers 23 pass throughapertures in this strip and through the slots 27 in the wall of thecylinder. On the lower face of the bottom plate 21 of the skeleton frameare journaled four equally distant rollers 29 that run upon foursegmental cam faces 30 so that if partial rotation be imparted to theplate 21, the skeleton frame will be turned and raised and lowered andthereby cause the rollers 26 to travel in contact with the under face oftheir respective screens for the purpose stated. This movement of theskeleton frame may be effected as follows: Centrally of the cylinder isa shaft 31 having a bearing in one of the cross-timbers 4 at the top ofthe frame and a bottom bearing 32 on the under side of a fixed plate 33that carries the segmental cam faces and which is fixed to thecrosspieces a The spider 20 at the top of the central frame has rigidwith it, a hub 34.- through which the shaft passes and with which it isunited by a pin 35. The plate 21 forming the bottom of the skeletonframe has a similar hub 36 through which the shaft passes and to whichit is pinned. On the lower end of the shaft 31 below its bearing 32 isfixed a radial arm 37, the outer end of which is connected by a ball andsocket joint with a link or pitman-38 also connected by a ball andsocket joint with a pin in the side of a gear wheel 39 operated ashereinafter described. As the gear wheel rotates, there will be a rotaryand vertical reciprocatory motion imparted to the skeleton frame ofwhich 21 is the bottom plate. The lift of the skeleton screen sweepingframe by the segmental cam surfaces 30 and the rotary motion of theframe are so related that the levers 23 travel freely in the slots 27,the levers carrying with them in their rotary movement around the axisof the cylinder the cover band 28 that closes the slots against theadmission of berries or grains.

Provision is made for vibratory motion of the screens. Two oppositeangle irons or braces 8 have jointed to them the ends of horizontalpitmen 40, the outer ends of which are connected with crank pins 41 onthe ends of the main driving shaft 42 mounted in suitable hearings onthe frame. This shaft may be driven by a belt passing around the pulleye3. The shaft carries also a pulley 4A belted to a pulley. d5 on a shaftd6 appropriately mounted in hearings in the lower part of the frame andcarrying on one end a. pinion 47 that meshes with the gear wheel 39.Reciprocation of the two pitmen 4.0 imparts to the suspended skeletonframe lateral vibrations, the suspending spring arms 10 havingsuflicient resilience to permit of thismotion.

.The spirally arranged overlapping screens 11,11", etc., may be ofuniform length or they may vary, such variations, if any depending uponthe particular use to which the apparatus is to be applied.

This machine is very compact and requires but small floor space comparedwith the straight line screens that have heretofore been used. It issimple in construction, not liable to derangement and may be readilykept in order and repaired, when necessary, by unskilled labor.

The invention has been illustrated in a form deemed to be practical andefficient but is not limited to mere structural details as the generalprinciple of the apparatus here set forth may be embodied by skilledmechanicians in other forms without de parture from the scope or generalmode of purpose may be adopted. In other respects also the invention isnot confined to the particular form in which the invention has beenillustrated I claim:

1. Separator apparatus comprising a plurality of spirally arrangedoverlapping screens, one delivering to another below it, each providedwith a separate outlet for material that passes over it and meanswhereby material passing through the lower portion of a screen isdirected backward upon the screen next below.

2. Separator apparatus comprising a plurality of spirally arrangedoverlapping screens, one delivering to another below it and eachprovided with a separate outlet for material that passes over itcombined with means for imparting vibrations to the screens andreciprocating means for sweeping the under side of the screens todisplace materials that may be lodged in the apertures thereof.

Separator apparatus comprising a plurality of screens arranged spirallyoverlapping each other around a vertical axis, a trough for each screento receive matter that passes over the screen and discharge itlaterally, a plate projectingbackwardly from the bottom of each troughto direct material passing through the lower part of a screenba-ckwardly upon the next screen below.

a. Separator apparatus having a plurality of overlapping screensarranged spirally about a vertical axis each having means for receivingand discharging material that passes over it and each having animperferate plate upon which is received material passing through thescreen immediately above.

5. In separator apparatus, the combination of a main frame, a verticallydisposed screen support, a band spirally disposed around the screensupport, means by which the screen support and band are held in fixedrelation to each other and a series of overlapping screens arrangedspirally around the screen support between it and the spiral band andrespectively attached thereto at their edges.

6. Separator apparatus comprising the combination of a main frame, ascreen frame comprising a centrally disposed cylinder, rings embracingand attached to the upper and lower ends of the cylinder, bracesconnecting the rings, a band encircling the cylinder and attached tosaid braces and a series of overlapping screens arranged spirally aboutthe axis of the cylinder and between it and said band, each screenhaving means for discharging material passing over it and means forimparting vibrations to the frame and screens.

7 Separator apparatus comprising th combination of a main frame, ascreen frame comprising a centrally disposed cylinder, rings embracingand attached to the upper and lower ends of the cylinder, bracesconnecting the rings, a band encircling the cylinder and attached tosaid braces and a series of overlapping screens arranged spirally aboutthe axis of the cylinder and between it and said band, each screenhaving means for discharging material passing over it, means flexiblysuspending the screen frame from the main frame and means for impartingvibrations to the frame and screens.

8. Separator apparatus comprising a series of overlapping spirallyarranged screens each provided with means for discharging materialpassing over it, means by which said screens are flexibly suspended,means for imparting lateral vibrations to them, wipers for sweeping theunder surfaces of the respective screens, supporting means for thewipers located within the spirally arranged screens and means forimparting to said supporting means vertical and rotary reciprocatorymotions.

9. Separator apparatus comprising the combination of a plurality ofoverlapping spirally arranged screens, wipers sweeping the bottoms ofthe screens, levers upon which the wipers are mounted, means foryieldingly pressing the wipers against the bottoms of the screens,supports for the wiper levers located within the spirally arrangedscreens and means for imparting to the wiper support vertical and rotaryreciprocatory motions.

10. Separator apparatus comprising the combination of amainframe,ascreen frame comprising a cylinder, rings surrounding the upperand lower ends of the cylinder, braces connecting the rings, means forflexibly suspending the screen frame, a plurality of overlapping screensarranged spirally about the cylinder, askeleton frame located within thecylinder, levers carried by the skeleton frame and extending throughslots in the cylinder, screen wipers carried in the outer ends of thelevers, means for forcing them against the under surfaces of the screensand means for imparting to the skeleton frame vertical and rotaryreciprocatory mo tions.

11. Separator apparatus comprising the combination of a main frame, ascreen frame comprising a cylinder, rings surrounding the upper andlower ends of the cylinder, braces connecting the rings, means forflexibly suspending the screen frame, a plurality of overlapping screensarranged spirally about the cylinder, a skeleton frame located withinthe cylinder, levers carried by the skeleton frame and extending throughslots in the cylinder, screen wipers carried in the outer ends of thelevers, means for forcing them against the under; surfaces of thescreens, means for imparting to the skeleton frame vertical and rotaryreciproca-tory mo tions and means for vibrating the screen frame.

5 12. Separator apparatus comprising a series of overlapping screens allhaving inclination in the same direction and also having respectivelyimperforate plates at their upper ends for receiving material passing 10through a screen above and means for directing material that passesthrough the lower part of one screen backwardly upon the imperforatereceiving plate of the screen below.

In testimony whereof, I have hereunto 15 subscribed my name.

ADELINO BIGHETTI. Witnesses:

MARIO WV. TEBYRI A, Jose BRAZILEIRO.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressingthe Commissioner of Patentl, Washington, D. G.

